Wokeism's War on Sanity

A society that forfeits reality forfeits its future. 

Renée S. Kohanski | October 6, 2026

DEI and woke masquerade as promoting opportunity for those less advantaged, but the idea is flawed. It begins by sorting people into an artificially constructed class of the oppressed and the enlightened, a hierarchy of “less-thans” and “better-thans.” Once someone assigns a group to “less than,” they have already placed themselves into “better than.” The messaging insists it is about social awareness, but it’s really about superiority. Beneath that posture sits a psychological device that shields adherents from examining their own internal conflicts and dictates exactly what one is permitted and forbidden to think. It is 1984-like thought control.

This premise was challenged in the United States Supreme Court in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. UNC (2023). In June 2023, the Court held that race-conscious admissions practices violate the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI. Harvard and UNC used race in ways that were not measurable, not narrowly tailored, and produced stereotyping rather than individualized assessment. The ruling ostensibly ended affirmative action in college admissions and made clear that institutions cannot use race, DEI rationales, or any race-linked preference as a means of selecting students.  

A win, right? Unfortunately, not so much. DEI simply rebranded itself, hiding behind language that is “belonging-focused.” Names such as “Access and Opportunity Programs,” “Fairness and Access,” or “Equal Opportunity Pathways” are cosmetic changes. The reality is that DEI and woke remain active considerations in admissions processes. 

This helps no one. In fact, it often has the opposite effect. Black pilots have publicly emphasized that they complete the same rigorous FAA training, testing, and certification as every other aviator. In the current political climate, some have said that the........

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